Profile

COM.C.S.SUBRAMANIAM – PROFILE

Com. C S Subramanian

Gem of a product of Trade Union Movement in Tamilnadu, more particularly in Canara Bank and Cooperative Sector, Com.C.S. as is affectionately called, was born at Chittoor (A.P.) on 21.12.1928, joined Canara Bank's services in 1949. In those days, Canara Bank was notorious for its anti-labour outlook. Harassment, hire and fire and victimisation transfers were the order of the day. It was to the credit of Com.C.S. that he imparted lot of aggressiveness in the Union's approach with firmness and reasonableness in its dealings with the management. As a defiant response to virulent and unceasing management's attack, Com.C.S. had led a number of struggles injecting a great sense of courage & conviction and radiating militancy amongst the employees. Even after demise, Com.C.S. school of thought and his spirit continue to permeate through the Canara Bank Employees' Union Movement. Before he took over as General Secretary of the Union, here and there, there were sporadic struggles. But cohesion and organised approach were lacking and development in the movement was halting as a whole. During 1963, Com.C.S. was elected as Joint Secretary of the Union in its Vijayawada conference and the Union became very active. After Com. C.S. took over the reigns of the Organisation as General Secretary during 1967 in its Madras Conference, he shaped the Organisation further into one of the militant units of AIBEA. The members also fully supported all the tactics & strategies formulated by Com.C.S. against the management. He provided unparalleled leadership and boundless inspiration to the ranks. His silver tongue always attracted both the membership and also the management. He exhibited indomitable zeal, fearless outlook and matchless organisational capacity.

Under the aegis of Tamilnadu Bank Employees' Federation, he organised Unions in several small banks & Cooperative Banks. The Pandian Bank Employees' Union, Bank of Tamilnad Employees' Union and Bank of Tanjore Employees' Union in those days and merger of the Pandian Bank Ltd. with Canara Bank Ltd. in the year 1963 were shining examples of his great leadership quality and negotiating skills. After merger, the employees of the Pandian Bank became the motive-force of the movement in Canara Bank in this part of Tamilnadu.

Also, his contribution to the growth of Tamilnad Bank Employees' Federation was immense and praiseworthy. Continued guidance to other bank comrades at all times of crisis endeared TNBEF as one of the leading segments of AIBEA and enabled the movement to gain firm roots in the State of Tamilnadu. His service to cooperative bank employees in Tamilnadu deserves to be written in golden letters. For more than twenty years, he was the most sought after Leader of thousands of bank employees in Tamilnadu.

For over two decades he was the Central Committee Member of AIBEA and was also the Joint Secretary of Tamilnad Bank Employees' Federation for more than 20 years. He was the first Workmen Director in the Board of Canara Bank as AIBEA nominee. Abiding conviction in Communist Ideology inspired him to tirelessly serve the cause of the working people apart from enabling him to win the hearts of comrades. Also he was a Provincial Council Member of CPI in Taminadu. Com.C.S. encouraged others in Trade Union work, which motivated hundreds of comrades especially in Tamilnadu to become highly dedicated to the cause of the Working Class. It was indeed a great tragedy that he passed away prematurely on 16.11.1982 after illness at Vijaya Hospital, Chennai leaving thousands of bankmen in deep agony and irreparable loss.

It was a perfect and matchless synthesis of a leader with the entire rank and file, unleashing the synergy of mass movement of unparallel nature in the bank employees' movement.

This is our COM.C.S., WHO WITH ALL HIS MIND AND HEART LOVED CANARA BANK EMPLOYEES' UNION & ITS MEMBERS AND THE MEMBERS ALSO RECIPROCATED THIS LOVE AND AFFECTION in large measures at all points of time.